This was extremely not for me, and I think that might be my own fault. This is the final book in a series, which can technically be read as a standalone, but I think the previous books had a lot of backstory for Sebastian, and it felt like we needed to kind of catch up on all of it right at the beginning of the book. I've honestly never experienced this level of info dumping outside of a fantasy novel.

I think if you've read/enjoyed previous books in this series, this will probably fare similarly for you. But unfortunately, I was not the audience for this.

First of all, thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange of a honest review.

“You can talk about basketball. It’s not Voldemort.”

I always love Sophie Lark’s books and this one wasn’t different.
This series is amazing and I love so much to read about this mafia families.

In this one, we have Seb and Yelena. Seb is the younger son of Gallo’s brothers - Italian mafia - and Yelena is a Bratva princess - Russian mafia.

So yeah, their families aren’t besties and a lottttttt of things happened between them.
And because of that it is really entertaining to read.

But about the characters… I really liked them, they are so strong and charismatic! I wanted to know so much more about them.
The other characters we already knew from the other books of this series but I love to see them interact with each other.

“That’s what I want to do anyway. But not because my father commands it. Not under his observation, as part of his plan.”

About the plot, I liked it but it felt like it’s missing something.
But either way, it was a great and addictive reading.

For those who want to read it, don’t forget that it’s a dark romance and can contain some triggers as death, guns, mafia, betrayal, etc.

I’ve read the fourth and fifth books now in this series and there’s a lot to like about them.

Sebastian is the youngest mafia son of the Gallo family, finding himself a bit adrift after the family business dealings put an end to his professional basketball career. Yelena is the daughter of Gallo’s sworn enemy (head of the Russian Bratva in Chicago). Yelena is used by her family to win the heart of Sebastian so they can take advantage.

It’s the usual story of business dealings, power struggles, and familial loyalties which make good reading, with the additional layer of romance and a fair bit of violence.

I have to say I loved the Yelena and Sebastian when they met, as it was such a feel-good meeting of kind souls. It lost that pretty quickly once a major plot point happened and there was a change in Sebastian (granted it was probably needed) for the story) but he kind of lost his dimension as a character for me as well (as opposed to seeming a fuller character). I felt the same way about Yelena (who of course was beautifully blond and Amazonian, repeated multiple times throughout). I did want more from this book and got a little ick during a certain dungeon scene (consent issue).

Themes of psychological control, sexual control (questionable consent as mentioned), killing, death of a parent (multiple) are present throughout.

And the epilogue skips 18 years - which translated suggests to get ready for the next Gen!

Can’t wait.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the digital copy of this book.

★ ★ .5 | 🌶🌶.5

18+ check TWs

Note: I try my hardest to not include spoilers in my reviews. However, spoilers and how you define a spoiler is subjective. Proceed with caution.

*A special thank you to Netgalley and Bloom Books for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

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Oh goodness, where to start?

I’ve definitely had mixed opinions on this series as a whole. Overall, they’re quick reads but I feel like as the series progressed, the books quality varied.

I was so excited for Sebastian’s story. There was some build up considering the way his life was altered in the first book, and I expected some great character development. But man, I was kind of disappointed.

This was definitely my least favorite of the entire series (though I will probably buy the physically copy to finish my collection—I can’t help myself).

The characters just seemed so different from previous books, and not in a character development way-- in an inconsistent way. This is specifically directed at Dante and Nero, the former more so than the latter. They went from strong and take no shit, to completely different. The only ones that had a positive character arc were Aida and Callum.

Also, the characters just felt so separate from each other. I was hoping for an ending with a bunch of found family/combined family elements. But, after the events of each characters book, it was like they were done with the family.;

This book was trying to be too much for its length. There was not enough chemistry between Sebastian and Yelena because of their insta love. The plot then completely took over but also wasn’t developed enough to feel well done. It was like the beginning and the end were two different books.

I had so much hope for this and I’m so sad I didn’t love this one. I’m still debating whether or not Sophie Lark’s writing is for me. I will most likely read the first book in the spin off series, though, to at least give it a try.

Previous Ratings:

Brutal Prince— 4 Stars
Stolen Heir— 4 Stars
Savage Lover— 3.5 Stars
Bloody Heart— 3 Stars
Broken Vow— 4 Stars

Heavy Crown by Sofie Lark is the last book in the series of mafia romances. It has some dark themes heavy on the violence with romance in between.

Yelena and Sebastian both have their issues growing up is gangster families. Yelena has it worse as her father is the villain in this story. Yelena under her father's orders pretends to be kidnapped in order to get Sebastian attention. She doesn't know the reason and falls in love with him anyway.
The story is face paced and the characters are enjoyable. I also enjoyed the illustrations through out the book.
If you like Mafia Romance novels the you will enjoy this. I was not a huge fan but enjoy shaking up what genres I read occasionally..
Thank you to net galley for this arc.

Wow...

Ive only read one book by Sophie Lark. There are no saints. And I really enjoyed that one. So when I saw this ARC on Netgalley I screamed and immediately applied. Even if I wouldn't have gotten it I would purchase this book. And I probably still will because damn I already want to reread the book. I really enjoyed it.

I just love the way it's written because I'm sure Sophie put some kind of drug in it. This was somewhere around 400 pages but it definetly didn't feel like it was over 200 pages. I enjoyed every word of it. This is such a good balance between action and romance. I awed at the two main characters because I love them so much together.

Normally I would've hated the 'third act breakup' but because this made so much sense and it worked so well I didn't care at all.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in (dark) romance or action or something of that sort. Even if you are not a fan it sure is worth the try because it is that good. (check trigger warnings tho)

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Heavy Crown, by Sophie Lark, is the sixth, and final book in the Brutal Birthright Series and does not disappoint! This title centers around Sebastian and Yelena, both dealing with their own version of family drama. Even with the family drama in this book, it was nice to see the siblings come together one last time.

My favorite part of Sophie Lark books is that the FMC's are not stick-thin women, they come in all shapes and sizes, and that there was no OM/OW drama! I am looking forward to adding the next gen Kingmaker's series to my TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!

I absolutely adore the series and I love that this gives a great ending. I really enjoy the fact. This is getting more traditionally published, which means we’re getting more access to these types of stories. Not to mention that the books look really great on the shelf. Sophie is the queen of spice.

It had been some time since I had read the other books in the series so I was not as familiar with what was going on in the other storylines.

I devoted this book so quickly, just like all the other books. I typically am not that into the politics of the mafia in books, but in this book I didn't mind it at all. There was wonderful chemistry between Sebastian and Yelena and just the right amount of spice.

This book had all the twists and romance I love in a book. From the beginning I could see things were not as they seemed and as the story developed, I was in for more surprises. Sophie Lark managed to keep this reader enthralled as to what would happen next with Sebastian and Yelina.

This book was tough to get through. It felt very caricature-esque with all of these personas. Th POV didn’t flow well in my opinion. I also, didn’t like the plot development. It had the right pieces to be a good book, but I didn’t see super logical connections for plot points or character choices. That inconsistency took me out of the story a lot.

The finale of the Brutal Birthright series and Heavy Crown sees Sebastian Gallo take his place as head of the Gallo family. His development has been the most surprising across the series as he evolved from the basketball player student of the first book to what he was here but along the way for me he lost something that had made me like him from the start. His instalove romance with Bratva princess Yelena Yenina, was perhaps darker than I’d expected from him, and it just felt a bit clinical, and I didn’t feel there was any real sense of connection between them. The overall story also felt a bit erratic like the author didn’t know where she was taking it, and I struggled to finish this book.

I had been looking forward to reading this series but after the great start with Brutal Prince, if I’m being completely honest, I can’t help but feel disappointed with the Gallo brothers as a rule. Love made them weak as, to a man they turned from the dark side for the sake of their women. I mean where’s the fun in that! A part of me wishes Aida had taken control of the family and ran it. Perhaps the next generation will do better after that epilogue that sets readers up for the Kingmakers series.

If you love dark romance and mafia books this is the one for you. It is an interconnected standalone. This was definitely one of my favorites out of the whole series. This one seemed to have more depth and emotions than the previous ones. I will definitely be reading more from Sophie. If you want a super easy read give this book a try. All of the characters are likable and no excessive drama.

4.25⭐
2.5🌶️

Tropes:
👑 Mafia Romance
🖤 Dark Contemporary Romance

Favorite Quote: "There's no pleasure quite like reading, is there? Sometimes it's the only thing that eases my mind."

What a way to end this series! I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Sebastian and Yelena, although it did feel a little rushed. I loved watching Sebastian's transformation from the good younger brother, into the role of protector and becoming the head of the family. I enjoyed the way Sophie made Yelena grow into her own, in the sense that she made her stand up for what she wanted and to get out of the thumb of her family. The spice level in my opinion was perfect for the storyline and was sprinkled in just where it needed to be for the plot of the story.

It felt like the second half of the book is where everything really took off and I didn't want to put it down. The emotions, the action, the revenge, made it so you just want to know what would happen next. Overall, the main characters had me rooting for them from the beginning and made me want them to get their happily ever after.

Sophie Lark writes in such a way that you never want to put the book down, and makes you instantly connect with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I would definitely recommend this for anyone that enjoys mafia romances and romance stories with a bit more action! I can't wait to read the Kingmakers series after this!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Lark and Bloom Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

4 STARS!!

oh my gosh, i dove into this with zero expectations, considering my recent reads were all a bit meh. but guess what? this book slapped differently—in a good way! it's my first from this author, and oh boy, i'm definitely adding more of her books to my list.

plot: yelena is all about not submitting to a man, but family drama's got her playing a dangerous game. sebastian steps in, deciding he'll fight for her heart and freedom. tensions rise, vengeance vows, and it's like a city-wide chess match.

writing: loved it. easy read, breezy, and despite the book being a little over 400 pages, it was like a race to the finish – read it in one sitting. plot twists had me all over the place. i'm talking jaw-dropping, mind-blown kind of surprises. never been so shook over plot twists, you feel me? dialogue was solid, and the pace, oh, it was fast, maybe a bit too fast towards the end, but hey, still a wild ride.

yelena yenina: at first, i was side-eyeing her with the whole revelation about her “true” intentions, but she quickly redeemed herself. her love for sebastian was palpable, making me really fond of her. strong, brave, and determined—what's not to love?

sebastian gallo: unexpectedly loved him throughout the book. he's this soft and caring gallo most of the time, but the dark side when protecting his loved ones? extremely hot, okay?

yelena and sebastian: wonderful, seriously. but i kinda wished the book gave them more spotlight. started with insane tension, jumped into sweet romance, and then the plot kinda stole the show. missed more couple time, you know? and let's not forget the spicy scenes – garage scene? 🔥

overall, so darn good. loved every second. sure, a couple of things didn't hit right, but there was so much to love. twists and turns, surprises that kept me glued. couldn't put it down – needed to know what the heck would happen next.

notes: and guess what? i'm so diving into the kingmakers series, 'cause that epilogue? leo and dean's encounter? i need to read that, like, yesterday.

”Thank you NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, and the author for sending me a copy of this e-arc. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

I liked the dynamic between Yelena and Sebastian and enjoyed the spice of their romance. If you want a slow burn tension book this isn’t it rather it’s more insta-love.
The overall action of the book was intriguing as it delved into the mafia world. Much like the series name the action was brutal but written in a captivating way.
Quick read with funny, sweet and spicy moments throughout.

While it was decent, it wasn't as good as the previous installments in this series. Three from me. I was hoping for more romance. I'm excited to read that series. This was meant to provide the series a sense of closure, but in my opinion, it destroyed everything. Here, the ties that were forged throughout the books were so icily and methodically dismantled.
I was really dissatisfied and frustrated with the book in the end. Not what you want to experience after completing a six-book series.

This was an excellent conclusion to the Brutal Birthright series. Seb’s story has been building throughout. So many struggles to overcome. He definitely met his match in Yelena. This was a very fitting end to an excellent series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this finale to Sophie Lark's series. I found it to be a fast paced, page turner. I enjoyed the growth of the main character Sebastian. I wasn't a big fan of the betrayal storyline. Overall a good read and a great conclusion to the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Heavy Crown did a good job as the final the Brutal Birthright series to wrap things up nicely but leave the door open for a new series. I liked this book, but I did prefer other couples in the series more. I was a little sad their relationship was so rushed at the beginning and that their reconciliation was also rushed. It would have been nice to experience more conversations between the two throughout the action.

The shift in Sebastian’s personality in this book is understandable, but I wanted to see his internal thoughts about this written out more. I was also so disappointed in Dante! I understand him wanting to protect his “new” family, but I was so sad and hurt for Seb. Especially when I’m mafia families, family means everything. I’m glad Aida stepped up and brought Cal to come and support Yelena.

I did enjoy the action of this book and expected the series to have a dramatic ending, but somehow it felt so off with the Gallo siblings. If I didn’t know about another series I would have found the last chapter to be so out of pocket and confusing though. Honestly the entire book just felt extremely rushed to finish out the series and not focus on the couple in the series.

I’d give this 3.5 stars and would definitely recommend the series, and have, to others.